320CE rear crank oil seal replacement

[124coupe]

The old girl has sprung a leak from the back of the engine - making a mess.

Looks like a fairly straighforward if messy job - anyone done this and can give me any hints/gotchas etc?

How heavy is the box - OK for one person?

 

[television]

I will have a look later.

Malcolm

 

[Bolide]

A W124 autobox will squash you like a bug if it drops on you so take great care

I can lift one end of one but can't deadlift the whole thing. You could move one with two people. You'd have no chance at all if the car was in the air and you were on your own. With two people I'd say it was not suicidal, just very dangerous

I wouldn't even think of doing it without a good strong transmission jack and someone to steady the box while you do the bolts

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[television]

The sump comes off without removing the gearbox it the engine is lifted, though looking here the rear plate comes off in order to change the seal so it is either engine or gearbox out. there are 6 bolts holding the torque converter on. The complete exhaust must be removed with engine cross mounts.

I think it is easier to lift the engine, Hire a lifting frame for a couple of days.

Malcolm

 

[turnipsock]

I think it is easier to lift the engine

Malcolm

Damn, I was going to ask if it would be easier to take the engine out.

It would be more work to remove the engine, but a lot easier to replace the seal.

It would also be possible without jacking the car up to extreme hights to get enough room to drop a box.

 

[television]

Damn, I was going to ask if it would be easier to take the engine out.

It would be more work to remove the engine, but a lot easier to replace the seal.

It would also be possible without jacking the car up to extreme hights to get enough room to drop a box.

Its a pig of a job linning up the gearbox and engine in situ, I would take it all out in one lump, if you don't ,you need a lot of supports, and these get in the way, the propshaft has to be disconnected.
I will wait for an answer from 124 coupe as to what way he intends to go.

Malcolm

 

[Ian B Walker]

Speaking from experience the easiest way to do this is to remove the engine and box as one unit. It is possible to drop the sump in situ but you have to remove the torsion bar first for clearance, then lift the engine off its mountings. The g/box's are heavy as has been advised.

 

[Hibbo]

Its a pig of a job linning up the gearbox and engine in situ, I would take it all out in one lump, if you don't ,you need a lot of supports, and these get in the way, the propshaft has to be disconnected.
I will wait for an answer from 124 coupe as to what way he intends to go.

Malcolm

Blimey, is it possible to remove the engine and box as one unit on a w124? I would have thought the box was far to big for that! Last time I removed and engine and transmission as one was on a Metro!

 

[124coupe]

Thanks for all the replies.

I have had a crawl around underneath and used a fibre optic to have a closer look (mate manages a drain repair outfit - they use it to look for roots - snazzy or what?).

Upshot is that it looks as if the oil is coming from higher up on the back of the engine and dripping through so it comes out of the bellhousing (which is why I thought main seal).

Only had a couple of drive on ramps for the front wheels today so was a bit of a contortion so I'm not sure of the real source of the leak yet......whatever it is its going to be a pig to see let alone to get at.

Any ideas? (I don't need/want any that include the words "head" and "gasket" :? ).

 

[Ian B Walker]

If memory serves me right and without looking up the data there is a gallery seal on the back of the engine. Some are allan keys, some are pressings. If you were to remove the engine mountings completley and lower the engine it may give you enough room to see what sort you have. Alas if it is the pressed in ones then its engine out jobbie. Ok engine and box out, sorry.

 

[124coupe]

Hopefully I will get back tomorrow early enough to get the car in the air and have a proper look.

 

[big x]

If it's the original headgasket it will be leaking at the rear above the steering box and dripping off the centre of the bellhousing.
Stick your finger into the cutout of the housing and see if there is any oil collected there indicating rear seal leak.
The front lip seal of the front upper timing cover also leaks...they all do.
Lifes to short I'd just put some sand on your drive or buy a lexus !

adam